The Two Axes: Legacies Academy Series

by Susan Hoddy

In the earliest dawn of history and mythology, the Māori Divinities, crafted three powerful spiritual objects to safeguard their world and ensure the continuity of their lineage. These objects possessed extraordinary abilities and were revered as symbols of divine protection. Over the ages, various creatures from different realms have become aware of the existence of these spiritual objects, and their extraordinary abilities, and have tried to seize the artifacts for their own nefarious purposes.

Powerful Demigod parents, Papatūānuku and Ranginui, who created the world and all living things in Māori cultural history, want their son Talahani, who is next in line to the throne, to learn how to control his incredible strength and abilities. In order to prepare their son for the challenges ahead, Papatūānuku and Ranginui have sent Talahani to attend the Legacies Academy, where he can learn how to harness his powers, so that he will one day be able to protect, serve, and become a wise and responsible leader for their people, one who works alongside others to achieve common goals.

Lauren Garuccio is a petite and feisty red-haired vampire, who found herself in a unique situation when she discovered her heritage—a combination of Taniwha and Lepidoptera. Tragically, her parents met an untimely end at the hands of the Debauched on the streets of Paris. Left without a family, Lauren was taken in by the Gramaze coven, who became her new guardians and mentors.

When Lauren is first introduced to Talahani at the Legacies Academy she finds herself inexplicably drawn to him. It's not just his good looks that captivate her, but also his confident demeaner, which sparks a curious fascination within her.

When Talahani's brother sets out to steal The Two Axes, Lauren and Talahani must work with others from the Legacies Academy and the Gramaze coven in a collective effort to thwart his plans.

304 pages, Paperback

Published October 16, 2023

About the author

Award winning author Susan Hoddy, is a romance, and young-adult fiction writer; best known for her ‘Lepidoptera Vampire Series’ and her other novel called ‘Security’. Recently, Susan has added to her writing skills, and her new adventure is fully illustrated children’s books. Susan was born in Perth, Western Australia in 1966, and enjoys a good chinwag with family and friends, road trips with her husband, cups of tea, day-dreaming and writing.
Susan has always worked in many facets of an office during her life, but in 2012 she decided life was too short and wanted to make a start on her passion, which was writing. After acquiring her novel writing diploma from the Australian College of Journalism, she continues to create worlds where fantasy and romance exists, with her books. Keep an eye out for Susan’s new writing adventure, which is children’s first reader fully illustrated books

Awards

In 2023 Susan won a Book Cover Award for The Two Axes, which is in the Legacies Academy Series.

‘The Two Axes: Legacies Academy Series – Book One’ was chosen as the “Silver Winner” category by Wickham St George Book Cover Awards.

In 2022 Susan won two book awards for Attraction and Awakened in The Lepidoptera Vampire Series.

‘Attraction: The Lepidoptera Vampire Series – Book One’ was chosen as the “Silver Winner” in the FICTION ROMANCE category from MMH Press Book Awards.

‘Awakened: The Lepidoptera Vampire Series – Book Two’ was chosen as the “Bronze Winner” in the FICTION ROMANCE category from MMH Press Book Awards.

In 2019 Susan won two book awards for Attraction and Awakened in The Lepidoptera Vampire Series.

‘Attraction: The Lepidoptera Vampire Series – Book One’ was chosen as the “Official Selection Winner” in the YOUNG ADULT GENERAL FICTION category from New Apple Literary Fifth Annual Indie Book Awards.

‘Awakened: The Lepidoptera Vampire Series – Book Two’ was chosen as the solo “Medalist Winner” in the YOUNG ADULT GENERAL FICTION category from New Apple Literary Fifth Annual Indie Book Awards

Reviews

[Pirate Buttercup · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a problematic book. When you appropriate Indigenous knowledge, matauranga Māori and tikanga Māori (Māori knowledge and culture, including deities) and try to profit off it, it's gross. This author isn't Māori,.isn't from Aotearoa and doesn't show respect in the slightest to Māori in their work. Kāore koutou ka hoko i pukapuka tēnei.

[Donna Wicks · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disgusting using our culture for your gain nothing in this is accurate and is just a flat out disgrace I don't know what you think you were doing but this wasn't it

[thatgirlwithabook29 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hmmm...genuine review. I had to DNF. From a te ao Māori perspective this makes zero sense. None of our mythology and pūrākau have been authentically incorporated into the storyline but rather vague references and then a self made world - which is fine if you're up front about it and say it is heavily influenced from the ao Māori and mātauranga.
A word of guidance to the author, a reason people are so upset is because to Māori, to us, Papatūānuku, Ranginui, all their children including Tangaroa are more than just stories to us, some whānau can still whakapapa back to these tūpuna in our world. These aren't just stories to us. They're literally about us and how we and all things came to be. Which is why people are so hōhā.
You also can't just slap a disclaimer on it that any names or content is from your imagination when a) we know it's not because it IS based on Māori pūrākau and b) you've previously used Māori referencing in your promo for the book.
Please try to do better.

[Kathryn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Poo old hangi pants

[Pickled Poppet · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did not finish. You cannot take someone else's culture and trash it like this

[Tamara · Rating 1 out of 5]

Colonisers up to their usual antics.

[Mana Wahine · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am offended and outraged by this author using our atua (gods) in her works. She is not Maori and has not consulted with anyone before using our culture in her books. She has blocked everyone who has messaged her on social media to talk about her wrongs - the action of blocking shows her attitude towards indigenous people and the entitlement she thinks she has in using original names of our atua and our culture and mixing them up with other cultures (times). The front cover alone shows she has done no research at all - our ancestors didn't use those types of "axes". Our atua are tapu (sacred) and you are trampling on them, our people and our culture. Take you book down and the Medieval Chalice too!

[Ophelia Melons · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Author took from te ao Māori and manipulated it to fit her own agenda. It shows she did zero research, has zero respect for the culture, and making a profit from which she knows nothing about. Paru as vibes.